Flying machine



W. S. HULL,

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR,4, 1921.

Patentd Nov. 14, 1922.

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W. s. HULL.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4, 192l- I Patented Nov. M, 1922?.

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FLYING MACHINE. Application filed. April 4, 1921. Serial No. 458,218.

. ence being had therein to the'accompanying and the novel features atmosp drawmg. a

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsin flying machines, the object being to provide a flying machine with a series of screws or propellers so mounted that they can be shifted in respect ert their cutting action in different. directions in order to create a partlal vacuum around the body of the car so asto'allow the eric pressure to force the car forward in the vacuum created.

I have found by experimenting that 1t re uires less power to create a vacuum than it does to build up in the 0 en air resistance equal to'that'which results rom the creatlng of a vacuum and I have utilized this principle in carrying out my invention by constructingthe screws in 'a-particular manner so that apartial vacuum is created around the front and top of the body of-the car, the bottom and rear of the carare provided with oblate surfaces formed to allow the atmos-- pheric pressure to aidin the direction of travel. 7 Other and further objects and' advantages forcing the car in of the invention will be hereinafter set forth thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings, Q 7 Figure 1 is anend view of a flying-machine constructed in accordance with my invention showing the ring carrying the screws in vertical posltion for propelllng the car horizontally and in dotted lines the ring shifted causing the car to move upwardly at an angle;

Fi re 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Flgure 1 with the ring carryin the propellers arrangedin a horizontal p ane; and Figure 3 1s a detail section showing the rudder control. v

In the drawin 1 indicates the body of the car which is herein shown globular in shape having oblate surfaces upon the rear and bottom. Extending transversely referrevolve half aroun placing the screws in different positions in v v respect to the body thereof.

to the body of the car so thatthey will exends connected to the through the car is a tubular shaft or member 2 secured rigidly to the shell of the car by flanged rings 3 as clearly shown in Figure 2, said shaft being placed above the center of the car so as to prevent the car from rocking" as will be later described.

R evolubly mounted on the shaft 2 on roller bearings 4 is a ring 5 formed of steel carrylng a series of screws 6, each screw being provided with a motor 7. for drivin the same, the ringbein so mounted that ltcan the body of the car for A rudder 8 is mounted at each end of the tubular shaft 2 having an operating rod 9. connected thereto which in turn is connected to a lever 10 by a stud 11, as clearly shown in Figure 3,-by means of which the rudders can be shifted. 1 Extending from the forward end of the car is a beam 12 carrying a pulley 13 over whlch passes a cable 14 which has its ring 5 at opposite points, said cable passing around a drum 15 mounted within the car having a crank 16 for revolving the same, by means of which the position ofthe ring in respect to the body :of-the car can be adjusted. The ring is set so any condition.

-As the car'is globular in shape it has a uniform resistance to the rush of air on all its exterior surfaces and the greatest weight being in the bottom keeps t e car in horizontal position while moving through the air in any direction.

Y The construction of car herein shown is preferably made of plate metal with metal angled and stiffening connecting bars having plate and wire glass windows and doors.

' The screws or propellers can be driven by any suitable power and if driven electrically can be so'connected to the electrical source of suppl that each screw can be controlled indepen ently-or simultaneously by the pilot and I preferably rovide the car with me tors, dynamos an storage batteries so that l on the failure of the dynamos the storage batteries can be used for operating the motors.

The screws are provided with conical or spherical upper or leading surfaces with a fiat base having two or more blades with uniform flat faces attached to or canted from the hub in a forward 'and outward direction at an angle between 25 and 7 5 degrees from the plane of rotation. The blades are set in the hub so that their leading edges will be in a line with or slightly behind the line of axis of the hub so that a line drawn transversely across the face of the blades will be tangent to the circle of rotation.

The blades are placed in position so that a line transversely across any part of the face of one blade will be parallel with a similar line in a similar position on the blade opposite to it on the hub. The leading edges of the blades will be sharpened with a bevel sloping toward the center of the screw to facihtate the cutting of the air from above the hub and these blades extend high above the bottom surface of the hub so that when in rapid rotation they attenuate the air so that what I term a partial vacuum is created or in other words, a tremendous load is taken off the top of the screw and the atmospheric ressure from below, more or less augmented y the currents thrown outwardly and downwardly by the blades, performs unimpeded work.

The setting of the blades tangent to the circle of rotation with the forward edge in a line with the axis has the effect of clearing the space of air with the least exertion of power.

The particular construction of screw forms the subject-matter for a com anion application filed April 4, 1921, Seria No. 458,220.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a flying machine having a globular body with a fiat bottom and fiat rear walls having a plurality of adj ustably mounted screws carried by a ring so that the relative position of the screws with respect to the body can be adjusted for causing the machine to travel in a vertical direction, in a horizontal direction-or at an angle, the screws being so constructed that when in operation they cut out the air in front of the car and discharge it backward so as to allow the force of the atmospheric pressure to be exerted against the under side and rear end of the body to force the machine forward as the resistance to the forward end and top of the car is reduced and the car moves in the direction of least'resistance which is determined by the position of the screws in respect to the bod of the car.

I am aware t at it is impossible to create a vacuum but I have found by experimentingthat with the use of screws constructed in accordance with my invention and mounted on a body constructed as described, the pressure is reduced at the forward end and top of the car so that the atmospheric pressure will have full force on the rear and bot tom of the car for moving the car forwardly.

While I have not described in detail the particular manner of controlling the screws independently or simultaneously, it is of course, understood that if an electrical motor is used for driving the screws and each screw is provided with a motor, by having the motor so wired to the source of supply through the medium of a suitable switch,

each motor will be under the control of the operator and if another source of power is used, connection can be through piping or the like so that the same result can be obtained and therefore I do not wish to limit myself to any details of construction for driving or operating the propellers as my in: vention consists broadl in providing a flying machine with a glo ular body having an ob ate bottom and back surfaces in connection with a series of screws adjustably mounted in respect to the body so as to create of course, understood that this can be accomplished in various of the well known manners and that while I have shown manual means for controlling the rudders and ring carrying screw, mechanical means can be used so that these members can be shifted by power under control of the pilot.

What I claim is -l. A flying machine having a body with oblate surfaces upon the rear and bottom and a series of screws provided with blades pitched at an angle forwardly. and outwardly from the hub and so disposed that the cut the air from over and front of the bo yto allow the atmospheric pressure to exert power for moving the body of the car in the partial vacuum created.

2. A flying machine havin a substantially spherical body and ob ate surfaces upon the rear and bottom, said body having a plurality of screws so disposed that they cut the air from the front and top to subject the oblate surfaces to atmospheric pressure.

3. A flying-machine comprising a substantially globular body having oblate surfaces upon the rear and bottom, a ring pivotally mounted on said body having a plurality of screws, a motor for operatlng each of said screws and means for controlling the motive power to said motors.

4. A flying machine comprising a substantially globular body having a tubular shaft extending transversely therethrough, a ring pivotal'l mounted upon said shaft having a plura ity of screws, a motor for driving each of said screws and a rudder mounted 'ateach end of said tubular shaft.

5. A flying machine comprising a substantially spherical body having oblate bottom and rear surfaces, a tubular shaft extending through said body having a rudder mounted at each end thereof, means for adjusting said rudder, a ring pivotally mounted upon said tubular shaft having a plurality of screws and means for adjusting the position of said-ring in respect to said body.

6. A flying. machine comprisinga body having a tubular shaft extending therethrough, a ring pivotally mounted upon said tubular shaft, a plurality of screws mounted upon said ring and a-cable having its ends connected to said ring for adjusting said ring in respect to said body.

In a flying machine the combination with a body having a tubular shaft extending transversely therethrough, of a ring pivotally mounted upon said body, a series of motors carried .by said ring, screws driven by said'motors and means for adjusting the position of said ring in respect to said body for directing the path of travel of said body.

8. A flying machine having a body with oblate surfaces upon the rear and bottom and a seriesof screws provided with blades pitched at an angle forwardly and outwardly from the hub for cutting the air from over and from the front of the body to allow the atmospheric pressure to exert a sustaining and a propelllng movement to the body-of the car. N

' 9. A flying machine comprising a substantially spherical body with oblate surfaces upon the rear and bottom, a ring adjustably mounted around said body carrying a plurality of screws, the blades of the screws being pitched at an angle forwardly and outwardlyfrom the hub for cutting the air from over and from. the front of the body to allow the atmospheric pressure to exert a force to said body for sustaining and propelling the same.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

WILLIAM S. HULL. 

